peaches

[Buffy in Dallas]

What would you do if you had several hundred pounds of peaches? We have been blessed by our peach tree and I'm trying to get ideas. My brother in law is going to make peach mead. I am going to make peach chips in our dryer and can some, but I have never canned peaches before. Any tips, recipes?

[mistletoad]

After I had stuffed myself silly, I would make peach pie filling, peach syrup, canned peaches, pickled peaches and peach wine. I have no tried and true recipes for any of these because I have never gotten past the stuffing myself silly part :haha:

[chickflick]

Hi Buffy.. check the food threads.. do a search on peaches.. I bet there's some recipies.

(and um... if you're really overloaded w/peaches.. Maybe I could use a few if my stupid tree looses it's crop again this year!

You still got/thinking about bunnies? Maybe we could do a trade/swap? I have baby Dutch (peidgreed) bunnies due end of month (I need a trip to Dallas, anyway; soon!)

[BCR]

Buffy-all that processing can get tiring. We always are sure to take some and freeze them. We peel and slice enough for a cobbler and into a plastic bag and freeze. We have sprinkled lemon water in with them before to slow browning-however quit doing that as they turn colors a bit when you bake them anyway. We often double bag for frost-free-ness. In December a fresh cobbler is terrific after outdoor snow work/play. Easy and quick when they are ripening faster than you can process or eat them.

Have fun. My b-i-l makes the best apricot/peach wine. Try that. Mmm. (No I don't have the recipe)

[Buffy in Dallas]

I went ahead and started picking them yesterday. (Poor tree was so heavy with peaches that we had to prop the branches up with 2x4s.) About 1/4 are perfect, 1/2 have some bug bites or what I think might be scab(?) and about 1/4 are rotten and maggot infested. I guess that goes with not using pesticides. I think I will end up with about 100 pounds after cutting out the icky parts. Mmmm peach wine

chickflick-I'll pm ya. Maybe we can have a get together and have some peach pie

I'm off to search for recipes.

[Mrs_stuart]

We love them dehydrated...my kids eat them by the handful...but you can also make fruit leathers with them and use them in many different ways. you can eat them, soak them and use in other fruit recipes, or roll them up and cut them into bite size pieces and put in granola and so much more. They sound great. Good luck with all those peaches.

Belinda

[Dawndra]

We freeeze them in a light syrup. Make a simple syrup with water & sugar. Add a couple tbs. Tang or fresh fruit. ladle over the sliced peaches in freezer boxes. YUM YUM.....

[jillianjiggs]

I'd peel and slice some, and then freeze them in about 1 cup servings. They're GREAT for smoothies.

[Terri in WV]

You can also pop them in a bag, whole and unpeeled and freeze. Then when you're in the mood for a fresh peach this winter, let it thaw a little, peel and eat it-tastes like fresh!

[BeeFree]

If you can find a ball or kerr-mcgee [sp?] canning book it will have the directions in it.

Right off hand, I think I removed the peelings, and seed, cleaned them up. Some I cut in half and some into quarters. I then put in large vat with water and some sugar. Got them to boiling and boiled ? min. Then packed into jars and processed.

I can't remember the exact min and processing mins. But that is the basics.

Ball may have a web site that you can get the directions off of. I just haven't checked.

[Burbsteader]

I love dried peaches. Before they dry I sprinkle apple pie spice over them. Yum! Oh great, Now I'm craving, and I'm out of the dried peaches. Maybe the dried sweet cherries'll work?

We can alot of peaches, which we or the ILs get straight from the farmers in the Yakima area rather than pay the middleman $$ here in Western WA. If you can any in large quantities, I strongly suggest getting help. DH and I enlist his mom to help in exchange for canned peaches. One monitored the stoves, one peeled and one cut the peaches. We did 150 lbs last year. It went really smoothly, esp. considering we only have a "One-butt kitchen", very small. We added cinnamon sticks last year, which give them a fantastic flavor as the cinnamon flavor goes through the peaches. I tell people who don't can that opening a jar of homecanned peaches in winter is like opening a bit of summer.

Something I'd really like to try is the buried brandied peaches that Carla Emery talks about in her book. I bet I'd really enjoy testing it. And then testing it some more! LOL :haha:
The peach wine sounds good too.